Venus shone brightly.
Vast Metal Qi rose from the western sky, reflected high above the Great Void. A pitch-black thunder seal hung in the air, Dao patterns flickering across its surface as it drew together layer upon layer of incense-offering qi.
The execution ground had already become a stretch of dense darkness. Bloodlight surged within, clashing with azure-blue lightning and shaking the Great Void.
Song Shiming had now withdrawn his Thunder Department Dharma Body, his expression grave. The Giant Spirit of Divine Thunder presiding overhead had shrunk to human size, his golden body radiant and his face imposing.
"Reporting to General Weihua: True Person [Zhuoxie] of the Upper Firmament Sect has brought the [heavenly capital celestial rite] to suppress and slay the fiend. Should our department activate the thunder seal and take him down in one stroke?"
"The Five Directional Thunder Envoys have all been swept inside. If anything goes wrong..."
Song Shiming looked somewhat anxious. The Five Directional Thunder Envoys were his core supporters. As the future master of the Mystic Thunder Department, he could not do without any of those five if he hoped to wield enough influence within Great Li's Divine Dao.
"Heh, there's no hurry. Let's watch a little longer. His lordship has already indicated that these people will come to no harm."
General Weihua's enormous Thunderbolt-forged golden body grew ever more brilliant, and a hint of a smile could be discerned on his otherwise expressionless face.
Song Shiming was puzzled. Events were unfolding nothing like he had expected. Of the Mystic Thunder Department's two lords, one was General Weihua, who came from the imperial court and possessed a middle-stage Divine Thunder Purple Mansion cultivation.
The other was True Person [Zhuoxie] of the Upper Firmament Sect, a Sky Thunder Purple Mansion cultivator who had been stuck